NWT RESEARCH DATABASE

Regions: Dehcho Region

Tags: physical sciences, hydrology, stream flow, permafrost thaw

Objective(s): To relate the extensive field studies at Scotty Creek (80 km north of Paradise River) to permafrost thaw near the community of Sambaa K'e.

Project Description: This licence has been issued for the scientific research application No.5125. This project aims to relate the extensive field studies at Scotty Creek (80 km north of Paradise River) to permafrost thaw near the community of Sambaa K'e. A first step toward this is to establish a climate station near the community so that climatic condition can be compared with those at Scotty Creek. The specific scientific objectives are: 1) Develop fundamental knowledge of the major ecosystems and estimate the amount of water present. The watershed responses to changes in permafrost and the rate and trajectory of such changes will also be examined. 2) Develop and test a new suite of hydrological predictive tools for simulating the responses of ecosystems to permafrost thaw and the rate and pattern of ecosystem change. 3) Apply the new models to predict how ecosystems will respond to permafrost thaw over the next half-century. Through discussion with local community members, Paradise River was selected for installation of a climate station. The exact same type of station as used at Scotty Creek will be deployed. A water level sensor will be placed in a stilling well in the river so that a continuous record of water level will be recorded. This data will be related to instantaneous measurements of stream flow so that continuous water level can be used to estimate a continuous record of river discharge. Water level will also be measured in the lake in a sheltered location. Community members will assist with the installation and will play a leading role in station maintenance and data retrieval. Annual reports to the Aurora Research Institute, and other materials will be sent to Sambaa K'e each year. Dehcho K’eodi: researchers involved in this project participate in this regional gathering where research findings are reported. This project is also available to provide training for Guardians that will contribute to their certification. The research team will continue to host a one-week field course at the Scotty Creek Research Station in February or March of each year for high school environmental science students (grades 10-12) from the Dehcho Region. The applicants in collaboration with the Dehcho First Nation, Sambaa K’e First Nation and other communities in the Dehcho, co-proposed the Dehcho Collaborative on Permafrost (DCoP), a three-year programme designed to improve the capacity of the Dehcho to manage permafrost thaw. The present project at Paradise River is an important component of DCoP. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from June 1, 2022 to September 01, 2022